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24 making instruction work

objective. If they decide they don’t need further instruction,
they simply demonstrate their mastery of the objective. In
either case, if they meet or exceed the criteria, they are encour-
aged to advance to the next unit. If they don’t meet the crite-
ria, the instructor (person, computer, other) diagnoses the
weakness and prescribes a remedy (usually more instruction
and/or more practice).

Improving the Instruction (Part VI)

Because needs and jobs change, because new technologies,
materials, and devices become available, and because the char-
acteristics of incoming students change, professional instruc-
tors take steps to keep their instruction up-to-date.

Course Improvement (Chapter 21)
Course improvement consists of, first, identifying opportu-
nities for improvement and, second, taking the necessary steps
to capitalize on the opportunities. The procedure involves
comparing existing instructional practices to those that would
be in effect if the instruction were functioning at the state of
the art; that is, comparing what is with what could be.

Summary

• The analysis procedures will help ensure that the instruc-
tion is worthy of working (because it teaches the “right
stuff”);
• The development procedures will make sure the instruc-
tion can work;

• The implementation procedures will ensure that the
instruction does work; and the

• Evaluation and improvement procedures will ensure that
the instruction continues to work as well as possible.